Suki Blue Fiction

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Chapter 24

 
“Giles!”

Giles looked up from the book he was studying behind the counter. “Ah, Buffy. I didn’t expect to see you so early.” He looked at his watch. “Is something wrong?”

The library doors swung open behind her and Willow stumbled through, loaded down with a school bag that was nearly bigger than she was and an armful of books. “Sorry I’m late. Am I late?”

Giles shook his head. “Not at all.”

Willow sagged with relief. “Oh, good. Sorry.”

Buffy smiled at her friend. “Stop saying sorry, Wills.”

“Okay, sorry. I’m just a little… Did you check in with Xander?”

“I did, and I was just about to report to Giles.”

“Report?” Giles asked. He walked around the counter then crossed the library to the table and perched on the edge. “Sounds interesting. Do tell?”

“Vamp attack – last night,” Buffy said. She dropped her school bag to the floor and pulled out a chair. “They got Willow and Xander.”

“My goodness. Are you all right, Willow?”

“Fine.” She held up a scraped hand. “Just a scratch. Xander got hurt much worse.”

“I was just about to ask where the other Musketeer was. Is he alright?” The question was asked calmly enough, but Giles felt a pang of panic in his gut. And for the millionth time, he remembered that Buffy and her friends were still children. They weren’t ready for this. Christ, even he wasn’t ready for this at the grand old age of…

“He’s fine,” Buffy said. “Sort of.”

“What do you mean, sort of?” Giles asked with a deep frown.

Willow and Buffy looked at each other, but it was Willow who spoke. “He hit his head really bad.”

“But he’s okay,” Buffy said quickly. “I stopped by Angel’s to check on him this morning.”

“To check on…Angel? Angel was hurt, too?” Giles was starting to lose the thread, which wasn’t anything unusual when it came to getting information out of Buffy and her friends.

“No, no,” Buffy replied. “Xander.”

“Right. Okay. Start again, please; I haven’t quite got it.”

Buffy shook her head. “I realise it’s probably the age thing, but try to keep up, Giles.”

“There were these two vamps,” Willow cut in, before her friend could dig herself a nice comfortable hole. “They attacked Xander and me when we came out of the movies. They dragged us down an alley and I heard one of them say they were going to take us to the Master. Xander got hurt – he hit his head…well, they hit his head; not that it really matters who hit-”

“Yes, Willow, I get the picture,” Giles said, holding his hand up to stop the flow of babble. He turned to address Buffy. “And you say you’ve checked on Xander this morning and he’s okay?”

Buffy nodded once, firm and sure. “Yep, he’s fine.”

Giles relaxed again. He felt less sick when he knew everyone was alive and kicking. “Well, thank goodness you were there, Buffy.”

Buffy shook her head. “That’s the strange part. Both vamps were dust by the time I got there.”

“This guy saved us!” Willow’s face got that excited look that she always got when she discovered something new or found a solution to a problem.

“What guy?” Giles asked.

“That’s the thing,” Buffy shrugged. “We have no idea, but he took out two vamps single handed.”

“He was really quick and strong, Giles,” Willow said. “He was like…like a vampire.”

“Really?” Giles sat down in a chair opposite Willow and Buffy.

“Unless there’s another souled vampire running around,” Buffy said, “I don’t think so.”

“Is it possible this other person was a vampire and just wanted Willow and Xander for himself? It certainly wouldn’t be unlike a vampire to be territorial.”

“I guess,” Willow said. She looked unsure as she glanced at Buffy then back at Giles. “It’s just…he helped Xander sit up and - I don’t know – he just seemed like he cared.”

“Hm.” Giles rubbed at his chin. “Did he speak to Xander?”

“I think so,” Willow said. “I was still in panic mode and everything was all…you know, fuzzy and weird and I probably should have asked Xander about it afterwards but-”

Buffy interrupted with a kindly pat to Willow’s shoulder. “Xander was totally out of it last night. I doubt he could even have told you who the President is.” She leaned forward over the table towards Giles. “It’s Clinton, right?”

Giles didn’t bother to answer the question. “Well, I’ll telephone Xander later and see if he can remember anything.”

“Sure,” Buffy said casually. “Good plan. Except for the part where Angel doesn’t have a phone.”

“Why are we talking about Angel…?” Giles paused for a horrible thought. “Tell me you didn’t leave Xander with Angel.”

“Um, I could tell you, but it wouldn’t be true.”

“Oh, Buffy, how could you be so stupid?” Giles scraped back his chair and stood.

“Hey, Angel’s on our side, remember?”

“Yes, Buffy, I remember. And I also remember that he’s a vampire - the legendary Angelus.”

“He has a soul now,” Buffy argued.

“Yes, I’m quite aware of that. And he’s been of enormous help to us over the last few months. But we hardy know anything about what has happened to him since he got the soul. Nothing has been written.”

“He wouldn’t want to hurt us, Giles.”

“No, maybe not. But that doesn’t mean he won’t. We are all susceptible to temptation, Buffy, and please remember that for many years Angel has chosen to exile himself. I have to wonder why.”

Giles snatched his jacket from his office and slid it on. It was still early and the sun was already starting to heat the air, but Giles felt a little bit lost without his jacket. He wondered how long it would be before cardigans became his thing. Of course, any cardigan he wore would have to have enough pockets for a cross, a stake and his hanky.

“Do Xander’s parents know where he is?” Giles asked when he came back out of his office.

Willow nodded. “I-I called and told them he was with me. Was that wrong? Am I in trouble?”

“Nobody’s in trouble,” Giles said, although the disapproving look he shot Buffy said different. Someone was definitely in for a double training session.

“Sorry, Giles.” Buffy sounded contrite enough, but he could still see a little bit of stubbornness in her eyes, an expression that told him she wasn’t entirely admitting she was in the wrong.

And the thing was, Angel probably was safe. After all, Giles was happy enough to let a relationship develop between Buffy and Angel. But on the other hand, Buffy was the Slayer and the risk she took with Angel was different to the risk that he, Xander and Willow took with him.

Leaving Xander with Angel had been a silly, but honest, mistake and Giles was pretty sure that Xander was okay, if possibly a little disgruntled, about being left in the clutches of the one Xander called Deadboy.

Buffy was young and she was going to make mistakes. That’s what Giles was for: not just to train Buffy in the physical art of slaying, but in the mental one, too. Buffy needed to know when to take a calculated risk and when not to. She needed to know when there was danger long before she could even see it, smell it or hear it.

And she would learn. This was only the beginning.

Giles stopped when he got to the swinging doors of the library. “You should have called me. It’s what I’m here for.” He gave her a brief smile to let her know she wasn’t in it too deeply. “I’ll be back shortly.”

When the doors swung shut behind him and he heard a brief “Ooops?” he shook his head.

**

“Morning, luv.”

Xander blinked sleepily, trying blearily to focus on where he was and what was happening.

“You alright?”

A thumb brushed Xander’s cheek and he remembered. “Hey, Spike. I’m good.”

“Yeah? Sure? You look a little peaky.”

“Says the Nordic guy.” Spike’s pale face grinned back at him and Xander suddenly had the urge to be close and to kiss him and touch him. So he did all those things at once.

Spike had the best body ever and Xander happily ran his hands all over Spike’s chest, arms and hips. He jumped a little when Spike’s hand worked its way underneath his t-shirt, but it didn’t take long for him to relax again when those magic fingers dropped below his waist and went to work.

Xander moved his hips in a slow, lazy rhythm.

“That’s it, pet. Fuck, you’re beautiful.”

Spike’s whispered voice vibrated through Xander’s body and sent shivers running up and down his spine. He inched closer and fumbled briefly until he found Spike’s cock. He wrapped his fingers around it and enjoyed Spike’s gasp of pleasure.

If last night’s session had been a ficlet, this was definitely going to be a drabble. He worked Spike fast, sending the message that he wanted the same in return.

It was good, so very good, and there was no way Xander could have held back the moan that escaped him. Wow, if Spike could make him feel like this with just a touch, just a hand on his dick, what the hell could he do with his mouth, with his body and…?

“Spike, oh, my god…”

Spike’s other hand slipped over Xander’s hips and slid around to his ass – and when he squeezed, Xander came. It was intense and sudden and for a few seconds Xander didn’t know what to do with himself.

Xander’s breath hitched and he looked down at Spike’s cock thrusting in his hand, pushing, shuddering and coming.

The hand on his ass squeezed painfully while Spike rode out his orgasm, but Xander loved it – loved that he’d been the one to push this beautiful creature over the edge so quickly.

“Spike…” Xander panted. “…Please tell me we’ll be doing this many more times in the future.”

Spike grinned and chuckled. “Twice a day, if you want,” he said amiably.

“Oh, I want. I really want – even more than chocolate.”

“Chocolate fiend, are you?” Spike asked, and Xander nodded in return. “Right. I’ll take that as a big compliment.”

“You should. It’s not everyone who compares to such creamy and sugary delights. In fact, you should be honoured.”

“Oh, I am, luv. I definitely am.”

“What about…?” Xander started. He hesitated when the correct words wouldn’t quite come. “Um, was… Did you enjoy? And, uh, last night, too?” He’d tried to ask casually, but was pretty sure he hadn’t managed it.

This was a big thing. Last night had been a big thing. He couldn’t help all the girly feelings that were invading him, and he hoped last night had at least been a little bit big for Spike, too. It probably hadn’t been.

“I loved it, pet. No worries there.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh, yeah. Fucking fantastic.” Spike leaned in and kissed him. They both took the time to be slow, gentle and thorough. “Felt so good to touch you like that. Been waiting awhile. Loved watching you, hearing you.”

“So, uh, hot?”

“As hell.” Spike grinned again, but this time it was mischievous and twice as sexy as usual, which was pretty darn sexy. “Can’t wait to do it again. Got lots to show you.” He leaned in again, but this time licked a trail up Xander’s neck. “Got lots to give you.”

Xander’s cock twitched and he wished he had super powered recovery time. Judging by the hardness poking at Xander’s belly, Spike was already game for it.

“Wish I could give it to you now,” Spike continued.

“Well, uh, I might need five minutes or so, but feel free to start without me.” Xander gasped as blunt teeth bit the sensitive skin at his neck. “And feel free to keep doing that, too,” he added.

Spike kissed the abused patch of reddened skin at Xander’s throat. He propped himself up on one elbow and pulled Xander up to kiss his lips with a loud smack. “Wish I could. But by the sounds of it, we have a visitor.”

Xander frowned. “Angel?”

Spike shook his head. “Fuckface came back just before dawn.”

“So, who is it?”

“I can hear some English bloke talking to him. He’s asking for you. Doesn’t sound too happy, either.”

Xander’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit; that’s Giles!” He hopped out of bed and quickly tucked himself away. “Shit, shit, shit.”

“The Watcher?”

“Yeah.” Xander tried to straighten himself out. Somehow, one pant-leg had gotten caught up and was stuck halfway up his leg. He made a mental note to get rid of the clothes next time. But then again, the clothes had given him a sense of security; he wasn’t sure how he would have felt if he’d been naked – exposed.

Okay, so he was going to have to work up to the naked stuff. He was sure Spike would help him. Damn sure.

“Okay, I gotta go before he gets up here,” Xander said. “Do I have bed hair?”

“It’s cute.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Xander smoothed his hair down on the way to the door.

“Oi, hang on. Don’t I get a kiss?” There was amusement in Spike’s voice, but also something else. Xander was either too young, too panicked or too male to work out what it was.

“Sure.” He walked quickly back to the bed where Spike was now kneeling up. Spike pulled him down into the same position, slipped his arms around his waist and kissed him, slow and deep.

“When you coming over again, then?” Spike asked when he pulled back. He licked his lips as though he’d just taken a chunk out of a powdered doughnut.

“Will Angel let me?”

“Bugger Angel.”

Xander screwed up his nose. “I’d rather not, thanks.”

“Glad to hear it. I meant bollocks to him. You come on over whenever you feel like it; he won’t stop you.”

“Are you sure about that?” Xander asked dubiously.

“No. But it stands to reason, doesn’t it?”

“I gotta say, I don’t really see it.”

“Think about it, luv. He wants to make sure I don’t gobble you all up and get him into trouble with his bird, but he knows he can’t stop me from seeing you. Far too wily, me. At least if you’re here he can keep an eye on us.”

“Except for when we annoy him so bad he runs away?”

Spike grinned and Xander grinned right back. “That’s the plan,” Spike said. “So, when you coming over, then?”

“Uh, soon? I’m not sure. I have no idea if anyone even told my parents I was here and not dead in the gutter or something. I could be all kinds of grounded.”

The door opened behind them and Xander jumped.

“Xander, Giles is here.”

Sagging with relief that it was Angel and not Giles, Xander turned his head and nodded. “Be right there,” he said.

“Come over when you can, then, yeah? If it’s daytime I’ll definitely be here. Just come crawl into my bed.”

There was nobody alive, dead or in-between who could resist that wicked smile. Xander pressed their lips together, pleased when it prompted a groan and a soft growl from Spike.

“Xander…”

Oh yeah, Angel was waiting. Xander opened his mouth to say something and Spike’s tongue slipped inside. Cool hands caressed him, stroking his back, his sides and cupping his ass. From behind them, Angel cleared his throat again and Xander reluctantly ended the kiss. He was getting hard again and – not that he would ever be prepared to tell another living soul this – he was getting turned on by Angel watching them. Spike gave him a knowing smile and Xander suspected he wouldn’t necessarily need to tell.

“Xander,” Angel said again. Was his voice deeper than normal? “You need to come down now or Giles will come up.”

Xander leaned his forehead against Spike’s and forced himself to calm down. He was hard as a rock, yet again. “Okay, just…gimme a minute.”

“I’ll…I’ll tell him you’re on your way.” The door closed and Xander breathed a sigh of relief.

“My kinky boy,” Spike said.

“Shut up, you evil vamp, and help me get rid of this thing.” Xander looked down at the obvious bulge in his pants.

“What, this?” Spike asked, pressing his hand against it. “Reckon I could do that in about 30 seconds, actually.” He unfastened Xander’s cargos, slipped them and his boxers down past his hips and curled his fingers around Xander’s hard cock. “Gonna make you come hard and fast, pet. Better hold tight.”

Whoa.

**

Xander wasn’t sure who had felt the most uncomfortable: him, Giles or Angel. He suspected it was himself.

After Xander had – as promised – come in under 30 seconds, he’d straightened himself out for a second time and left Spike lounging on Angel’s bed, looking like the cat that had got the cream. When he’d arrived downstairs he’d found Angel and Giles both waiting quietly but awkwardly. Giles had thanked Angel for his help and ushered Xander out of the mansion.

“Are you sure you feel alright?” Giles asked. They were parked outside Xander’s house.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, sure,” Xander said distractedly.

“Really? You don’t sound entirely alright.”

“Really, G-man, I’m fine. Feeling the need for a hot bath and an Advil, but fine.”

Giles didn’t look convinced. “You’d tell me if there was something wrong, wouldn’t you?”

Xander thought about that. “Maybe. That would probably depend on what it was. I wouldn’t tell you if I was developing an incontinence problem, for instance.”

Giles rolled his eyes and, for a moment, Xander was reminded of Spike. “Very funny,” Giles said.

“I thought so.”

“Can I ask…what…? Was…?”

Xander motioned with his hand for Giles to go on. “Spit it out or forever hold your peace, Giles.”

“I’m not sure what I want to ask. Okay, let me try this: what was Angel’s behaviour like last night?”

Xander shrugged. “I dunno. He was pretty much just Angel-like. Tall, dark and sulky.”

“Hm.”

“You don’t trust him, do you?” Xander asked.

Giles heaved a sigh and rested both hands on the bottom of the steering wheel. “I’m afraid at least one of us must err on the side of caution.”

“Oh, I’m erring, too, whatever that is. Just call me Err Guy.”

“I want to trust him,” Giles continued. “It’s just rather a large undertaking, all things considered.”

“Yeah,” Xander agreed. “Angelus was one of the most whacked out vampires in history. It’s kind of hard to get past that.” So why wasn’t it hard to get past Spike’s history, Xander wondered. He had no idea.

“Exactly,” Giles said. “I just need to be sure about him before I trust him around you and Willow. I’ll admit I wasn’t very happy about the events of last night. I wish they’d brought you to me, not Angel.”

Xander shrugged again. “Well, don’t look at me. I was non compos mentis.”

“Yes, yes. I’m not angry; I was just concerned – worried, even.”

“About me? I didn’t know you cared, Rupert.”

Giles cast him a long, withering look. “You and Willow are my responsibility and…yes, I do care.”

“Oh.” Xander didn’t quite know what to say to that. It was the sort of situation that a sixteen year old should not have to deal with. “I should, um, go, I guess. My mom might be worried, too. And I stress the word might.” He opened the car door as he spoke.

“Yes, of course. Go ahead. Give me a call later and let me know how you’re feeling and we’ll have a chat.”

Xander nodded and stepped out of the car. “Thanks for the ride.” He shut the door behind him and headed up to the house.

Giles was a perceptive man and he’d been right when he’d observed that Xander didn’t entirely sound alright. He wasn’t.

He had to face his parents, or at least face his mother because his dad was probably at work by now.

He’d stayed out all night and he had no idea what Willow had said when she’d called them. Had she said he was just staying over? That he was sick? Hurt? How was he going to explain the cut and the big purple bruise on his head?

As his key twisted in the lock, his stomach twisted with it. Would they be mad?

It wasn’t that Xander didn’t like going home. Home was good; home was where free chips and OJ were; home was where bed was; home was where the TV was.

The problem was the actual act of going home. It never failed to scare the living hell out of him. Would his parents shout? Would his uncle be there? Would they be drunk? Or would they just ignore him?

All those things had happened in the past, but even when they were a memory, distant or otherwise, he still couldn’t help but fear it - the unknown; the fear of walking into goodness knows what.

“Xander!”

His mother’s shrill voice made him jump. She pulled him into a hug and squeezed him until he was sure something cracked. When she let go, he stepped back and folded his arms awkwardly. Of all the things he imagined he could possibly walk into, that wasn’t one of them.

“Willow called us last night and said you weren’t well and look at you! Your head! Honey, have you been fighting?” She grabbed his arms, pulled them apart and took his hands, examining the knuckles. “No. Who did this to you? Was it a bully?”

“Oh, Mom-”

“Don’t you ‘oh, Mom’ me, young man. Tell me who did this. I’ll blacken their eyes!”

“Mom! Geez, what’s got into you?!”

“I’ll tell you what’s got into me: you boys. First Willow calls to say you’re not coming home, then your father doesn’t come home at all.”

Xander froze, his mind throwing a dozen or more scenarios at him, each one bloodier than the last. “Dad isn’t home?” he asked meekly, not really wanting an answer if it was going to be bad.

“Oh, he’s home now,” his mother snapped. “He crawled in about an hour ago – half drunk and half hung over. Not a good combination, I can tell you, so make sure you keep your voice down because he’s sleeping.”

Xander didn’t bother to point out that he wasn’t the one with the louder-than-normal voice.

“How do you feel, honey?” she asked him, calming down and switching instantaneously to Supermom mode. She placed her clammy hands on his face and looked at him carefully.

“I feel…” Now, he had to answer carefully here or he could end up back at school. “Tired. And I’ve got a headache.” Which was true.

“I’m not surprised,” his mother said. She took her hands from his face and snatched up her handbag. She pulled out a bottle of pills and poured two into her hand. “There you go,” she said, giving them to Xander. “Go on up to bed, sweetheart. Get some sleep.” She kissed his cheek and Xander smelled gin.

Hell knew what he smelled like.

“I’m, uh, gonna take a bath first.”


**


He ran as fast as he could. His legs nearly failed him twice, but once his socks touched the kitchen floor he glided the rest of the way.

Xander snatched up the phone and whispered. “Hello?”

Buffy’s voice, curious and amused, whispered back to him, “Hi? Why the hushed tone?”

“My parents are sleeping…oh, upstairs.” Xander began talking in his normal voice. “My dad didn’t get home until this morning and my mom didn’t sleep so-”

“So, we’re going all out with the quiet?”

“Exactly. Which suits me, seeing as my head is still pounding like a debt collector on a locked door.”

“Ouch. Still sore, huh?”

“Yup. Although a day off school has really gone a long way towards my recovery.”

“I bet it has.” Xander was sure he could hear her smiling on the other end of the phone.

“Hey, injured Scooby, here. Sympathy, please.”

“Sorry, Xan,” Buffy laughed. “Seriously, though, you and Willow were really lucky.”

Xander gingerly touched the band aid on his head. “I don’t feel lucky.”

“It could have been much worse.” Buffy’s voice was serious and it was then that Xander was reminded of just who she was. It was so easy to forget that she was the Slayer. She carried a lot of responsibility and, to her credit, she rarely showed the weight of that. To Xander, she was just his friend.

“Which brings me to the matter at hand,” she continued.

“You mean you didn’t call just to check on my welfare?” Xander said in a mock wounded tone.

“Among other things.”

“Such as?” Xander had a bad feeling.

“Who was the blond guy?”

“Uh…” Panic, panic, panic, panic, panic, panic- “What blond guy?”

“Willow said you were both saved by guy. Strong, fast, blond and - this is a direct quote – ‘cute’?”

Xander was just glad they were talking on the phone because he knew his face was a picture of guilt. “Uh, I don’t remember any guy.”

“He apparently dusted both vamps and helped peel you off the sidewalk. Ring any bells? Chimes? I’d settle for a glockenspiel.”

“Sorry, Buff. It’s all a blur. I don’t remember anything. Why, is something wrong?” He hated lying to his friends, but, in this case, the truth could and would only lead to bad things.

“Not wrong exactly, but, Xan, by the sounds of things, this guy was way powered up. We’re talking serious strength here. I’d like to know who he is.”

Xander fiddled with the phone cord and wished he’d planned for this conversation. Of course they were going to ask! “I wish I could help.” And in a strange sort of way, he really wished he could, but there was something implanted in him now that would not allow him to rat out Spike anymore than it would let him rat out Buffy. “Sorry.”

“Hey, don’t worry,” Buffy said kindly. “Maybe the fog will clear when the bump goes down. I just thought I’d ask. This guy seems like a hero, but if he’s got vampire strength then we need to be really careful.”

“Gotcha. I’ll let you know if anything comes back to me.”

“Thanks. Feel better, okay?” Xander heard a tiny voice in the background. “Willow says hi.”

“Say hi back. Listen, I’m gonna go lie down for a while, okay?”

“Sure. Knock yourself out. Oh, you already did that.”

“Ha ha. Just you wait until someone bashes your skull into the sidewalk.”

“Every night, Xan. Well, except that it’s usually a gravestone, not a sidewalk, but still, I definitely feel your pain. Anyway, I’m gonna go. Take care of yourself and maybe see you tomorrow?”

“Definitely.” Xander put the phone down and leaned on the kitchen counter. He was going to have to warn Spike to be careful for a while. This had the potential to turn extremely sour extremely quickly. He debated with himself whether he should leave the house now and find him. Sense overrode the urge very quickly. If his parents woke and found him gone then he would be in for a whole heap of trouble.

Damn. Why didn’t Angel have a phone? Xander was going to have words with Spike about that.

Xander stretched and clutched at his head when it twinged. “Ow.” He made his way over to the couch and sprawled, grabbing a cushion and shoving it under his head. He wished Spike was here now. There was just no point in being sick or injured unless there was someone there to give you a little tender, loving care.

Spike was good at that.

Spike was good at a lot of things.

TBC…